Unlike the Sea Dragons, Thunder Gods, or Sharp Knives, you won’t find the Party Commandos (党员突击队) on any order of battle.
At this point, most people are familiar with Xi Jinping, the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, referred to as the “Chairman” 主席, the “Paramount Leader” 领袖, or “Daddy Xi” 习大大. As the most powerful man within the Chinese Communist Party, he is a member of the next highest tier of Party rule, the (current) seven-man Politburo Standing Committee (PBSC).
As we walk down the ladder of the CCP hierarchy, there is a whole host of organizations like the Politburo, the Central Committee, Provincial Party Committees, etc. These groups have various responsibilities and are charged with top down control of Chinese society.
At the base of this ladder is where we find “grassroots” 基层 (CN) Party organizations. These consist of local Party committees 基层党委 (298,000) and Party branches 基层支部 (4,554,000) that serve as the “nerve endings” for the higher echelons of the Party. They conduct mobilization and supervision of their local populace, ensuring the downward implementation of Party mandates.
Take a normal town in the PRC for example: Sipai Village (四排镇). Sipai has a local Party branch with at least 472 grassroots Party members that serve as "alley chiefs" (CN). These individuals are selected to serve through a process that includes ideological tests, self-recommendation, and nomination. Each alley chief is then responsible for managing 10 to 20 households in their respective “alleys” or districts.
Outwardly, these Party members are responsible for building a “happy town”, a seemingly noble goal. The more likely reality is that Guangxi province, where Sipai is located, is home to a multitude of ethnic minorities. On 30 September, 2015 (the eve of National Day 国庆节) there were a series of bombings in Guangxi that the CCP immediately attributed a disgruntled quarry owner, but were likely linked to anti-Han/anti-CCP ethnic/political violence.
These grassroots organizations, whether Party committee or branch, are tasked with maintaining the authority of the CCP, mobilizing the population to support the Party, monitoring those who may not be loyal to the Party, and implementing policy. They conduct all of this (and more) all while being subject to an extra-legal enforcement organ known as Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI).
This unrest resulted in a top down push from Beijing to reassert direct control over households in Guangxi. In doing so, Beijing used the CCDI to purge hundreds of grassroots members, replaced them, and expanded the “alley chief” program. This is very similar to what Mao implemented with CCP aligned organizations and regions in the 1930s and 40s.
The Party Commandos
When in doubt, send in the 党员突击队 (Party Commandos). The CCP, as we’ve previously established, transcends all organizations in China and has identified tasks that are critical to its survival. These include, but are not limited to military modernization, morale, public order, economic modernization, etc.
Within every societal unit: the military, militia, police, state-owned enterprises, “private” companies, grassroots Party organizations are able to assemble commando teams to shore up the CCP.
In their own words (CN):
“[...]党员突击队凭借其组织性强、执行力高的特点,成为党支部应对各类挑战的“先锋力量”,他们在重大工程项目、应急救援、社区服务等工作中冲锋在前,用实际行动践行党的宗旨,为提升党支部的战斗力的注入不竭动力。”
“With its strong organization and ability to execute, the Party Member Commando Team has become the "vanguard force" for the party branch to deal with various challenges. They are at the forefront in major engineering projects, emergency rescue, community services, etc., and practice it with practical actions. [Party Command Teams] implement the party's purpose and inject inexhaustible power into improving the combat effectiveness of the party branch.” [Machine translation].
People’s Liberation Army & People’s Armed Police
Within the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Party Commando Teams are assembled to raise morale, set the example for others in the unit, and conduct “special missions”. This video shows the Party Commando Team within a Xinjiang Military Region unit conducting CCP education to awaken “red DNA” within soldiers.
Party Commandos also function as trainers, being the first to learn how to use new equipment. In this example (CN), Party Commandos learned how to use a newly fielded rocket artillery system, demonstrated its use, and then executed gunnery tables to show other members of the unit what “right” looks like .
Party Commandos are also tasked with leading the way in combat. In this exercise, Party Commandos were tasked with conducting a raid on a blue command post. This action was recognized as incredibly risky and was meant to degrade the notional enemy’s ability to fight while at the same time raising morale for red troops.

Within the People’s Armed Police (PAP), the Party Commandos are typically rapid reaction units that deal with natural disasters and mobilization.
Economic Special Forces
The role of Party Commandos is most pronounced in the civilian sector. Party Commando teams are employed to work on “bottleneck technologies”. An example of this is the AES100 engine (CN) developed by the Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC), a designated Chinese military corporation.
Aircraft engines are recognized as a key bottleneck technology by the CCP and Party Commandos communicate this to all entities involved in the production process.
“Aviation engines are likened to the "pearl in the crown" of modern industry and are the "heavy weapon" of the game of major powers.”
Within AECC, Party Commandos lead on the “front lines” to tackle complex technical challenges and foster breakthrough achievements in aviation engine development. In 2023, Commando teams were mobilized to ensure that AES100 engines were able to pass a dynamic stress airworthiness test. This “battle” lasted six months and the team was successful, winning a “key battle” for the CCP.
Teams also mobilize other organizations to break through bottlenecks.
“Facing a difficult project trial task with a tight assembly cycle, the Party Branch of the Ministry of Procurement and Supply Chain Management and the party organizations of multi-parent triangular private enterprises formed a joint party commando [team]. Tang Shu explained, "In order to truly achieve integration, we must unify the team's thinking, let private enterprise suppliers have an in-depth understanding of the significance of accelerating the independent development of aviation engines, and awaken the sense of mission and responsibility."
In another example, state-owned enterprises and “private” companies sent their Party Commando Teams to a counter-drone innovation challenge (CN). Teams from around the country gathered to test new equipment and refine tactics, techniques, and procedures.

Conclusion
The Party Commandos are an underexplored instrument of the Chinese Communist Party’s power, merging ideological commitment with operational flexibility to address critical challenges.
Embedded at every level of Chinese society, these teams are a reflection of the Party’s all-encompassing influence and its ability to mobilize resources for strategic objectives. Whether leading military operations, driving breakthroughs in "bottleneck technologies," or enforcing social stability, Party Commandos embody the CCP's doctrine of centralized control and collective action.
However, their dual role as enforcers of Party loyalty and accelerators of progress raises broader questions about governance and the implications for global competition.
While their successes in achieving Party goals are notable, their existence also underscores the CCP’s reliance on ideological rigidity to maintain control.